Train-controlling apparatus.



JOSEPH vntomas,A oF Kraan, rENNEssEn.

To all whom il may-concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. JONES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kizer, in the county of Blount and State .o Tennessee, haveinventeda" new and useful Train-ControllingApparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to train signalingand control-A ling means, andhas for its principal object to provide `a wireless system wherebytrains approaching within a danger limit may be warned, or when thetrains'continue totravel after receiving one or morewarnings,

. the brakes or controlling mechanism on both trains will be actuatedand the traindV automatically stopped before a collision can occur.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a system of thisclass in which trains approaching within a danger zonewill receive.warnings at regular intervals, and after'a predetermined number ofwarnings have been ashed or sounded, the brakes or other controllingmechanism will be actuated. c

A still further object of the invention is to provide a system of thisclass which may also 'be used as a means for inter-communication betweenthe trains or betw'een the trains and stations.

With these and other objects fully hereinafter appear, the inventionconsistsin certain novel features of construction and arrangement ofparts, hereinafter fully described, -illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and particularly pointed out in the. appended claims, it beingunderstood that various changes in the form, proportions', size andminor' vdetails of the structuremay lbe made without departing -from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. In theaccompanying draWing s:-Figure 1 is ageneral diagram showing theapplication of the invention to vtwo approaching trains. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the mechanism for timing the operationv of the`deco-,

herer,.and for setting into motion the mechanism for vapplying thebrakes o r other train controlling devices.

Fig. 3 illustrates the brake' applying' mechanism and its connections.Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the same. i

Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly in section, of the circuit controllingdevice operated by the engine. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view ofthe same. Figs. 7 and 8 are-detail views showing the operation oi thecircuit closing device. Fig. 9 is a'detail perspective view of theinsulating drum which carries the contact.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

On eaclrlocomotive, and at eachV station along the line are sending andreceiving devices, together with two aerial poles, one for sending andthe other for receiving, these being generally in the form of metallicIISpecification of Lettersk Patent. Appiicariou sled December` io, i906.serial No. 347,122."

`ranged in the circuit as usual, and a condenser being "employed ifnecessary.' t I The present apparatus is designed to send a signalautomatically as the train advances, that is tosay, the

` mile, inaccordance with the diameter in View, as will more.

TRIN-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

ate-mea Aug. 13,1907.' 'l

'the' otherto a ground 12 which in the present instance takes the form'of a zinc box containingwater. The

`'primary of the coil is connected by a wire 15 Ato one vr'ods'aboutone-fourth of an inch in diameter and as '1 high as the tunnels, bridgesandthe like will permit.

pole of a source of energy 16, and the opposite pole of this source ofenergy isconnected by a wire 17 to a Contact immediately under a switchblade 18 .the

switch bladebeing normally out, ofengagement with l the contact. Fromthe 'xed end of the switch bladeV runs a Wire 19 to the primary, theinterrupter being arprimary circuit of the induction coil will be closedevery predetermined number of revolutions of the .driving wheels, forinstance,` teen revolutions, which would mean from fifteen to twentysignals every l ot the driving wheels. For this.purpose,an automaticcircuit closer is arranged adjacent to the cross head or other movablepart .of the engine, and receives a step by step movement as the crosshead reciprocates. This circuit closer includes a revoluble shaft 20that is mounted in a suitable bearing inclosed in acasing 21 and'securedto the shaft isa ratchet Ywheel 23 with which engages a pawl 24. Thepawl is supported, by a spring 25 and has one end projecting throughanopening in the wall of the casing in position to be Aengagedv by thecross head x, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. the cross head moving'the pawl nom the 'full line to Vthe dotted line position, and the returnmovement being accomplished by the spring 25, so that the ratchet wheelwill be advanced a single step 'at each complete reciprocav` torymovement oi said cross head. When so advancedV the ratchet wheel is heldby aspring pawl 26.'

Mountedloosely on the shaft is a circuit-closing drum 27, preferablyformed of insulatingmaterial and v connected to theshaft vby a spiralspring 28. This. drum carries on its periphery a radially projecting pin29 which is engaged-by a locking spring 30 that tends to hold it frommovement under stressof the spring. As the ratchet wheel is turned, thespring is woundyiup, andif'the locking member 30 is released, the drumvis allowed to make one complete rotative movement as the spring unwinds.i

-Mounted on the shaft is a radially projecting arm i32 having acam-shaped outer end that engages under the locking member and raisessuch member 30 from engagement with the pin` 29, whereupon the drumrevolves rapidly in the direction indicated by the arrow 'the drum is atrest they bear on in Fig. 7, until a stop pin 33 projecting from the endot' the drum engages against the cam arm 32 and stops further movementof said drum, this occurring in advance of the arrival of the pir1u29 atthe initial position and the contact of the pin 33-with the arm 32 willmove said arm. from Abelow the stop 4member 30, so that the latter willbe in position to be engaged by the pin 29 and check the movement' ofthe circuit closer' when it has made a single complete revolution. L

Mountedon the drum 27 are two bands 36 and '37, formed of goodconducting material, the band 37 being atrifie shorter vthan bandA 36for a purpose hereinafter described. This band 36 is engaged by twospring contacts 38 and 39, that are carried by a portion 40 `of thefixed frame, while the drum is rotating. When the surface o theinsulating material owhich the drum is formed, vand hence no circuit isclosed between them. The contact 38 is connected by a wire llto thatpole of the battery opposite the connection of said battery with thepri- :maryoi the coil, while contact 39 is connected lby wire 43 withthe end of switch blade 18, so that if vthe drum is rotated, the circuitis closed the same as it would be by depressing blade 18 of the switch,and theprimary of the coil willbe energized, and it may here be remarkedthat the unction o the switch is to enable the engineer to send a signalwhen the train is stopped, or to allow the sending of readable messages.

The coherer and decoherer are carried by a standard 50, having a spring51 carrying an armature 52, and at the end of the armature is a hoo'k 53in which the coherer 54 is confined by screw 55. Th'e standard 50 alsocarries an electro-magnet 60 which when energized, will attract thearmature, and the coherer will be agitated for the purpose of looseningthe metal in the eoherer.

to one end of the coherer tube, and the opposite end thereof isconnected by a wire 67 to a ground 68 which in this case is preferablyin theform of a zinc box.I containing water.

v cuit which may be traced v73l to the ro`d51 of the wire 80, the relayarmature The receiving apparatus further includes a delicate relay 70,the coils of the relay being'included in a cirrom a battery 71 through'aWire 72 to the relay coil, from thence through a wire 74, an electricbell 75, through the coils o the bell and back through a wire 76 to thebattery 71. This latter energizes the relay coil when the particles ofmetal in the coherer cling together when subjected to the action ofthewave, and the armature 77 of the relay will be attracted against thelstop 78, thereupon closing a circuit which may be traced from thebattery 71 through bell 75, and wire 76 back to battery. rlhe bell willthereafter continue to ring so long as the primary of the Ruhrnkorffcoil is connected to the sending battery, and in order that it may bestopped after a certain numberoi taps,the clapper rod 84 of the bell isprovid'e\d`-with a pawl 85 which engages a ratchet wheel 86 mounted atone side of the bell and carrying a circuit closing pin,87 which, whenthe ratchet 'wheel has moved to the extent of a complete revolution, isadapted to engage a spring contact 88. This contact 88 is arranged inacircuit which .may be traced from a bat- The aerial receiving rod 65 isconnected by a wire 66' coherer, the coherer, the wire 77, stop 78, wire81, the

contact 88, pin 87, he ratchet wheel, the ratchet wheel arbor 91, a wire92, to battery 89, so that aftera certain number of taps of the belldepending on the number of teeth ofthe ratchet wheel 86, the decohererwill be set into operation and the message will be stopped. j

1n order to preventv the reception of an alarm by the bell of thesending station, the strip 37 of the drum 27 is utilized.` 1t will beseen by reference to vFigs. G and 7 that this strip' is engaged by twocontacts 95 and 96, which normally rest in the space between the ends ofthe current -conducting strip. When the drum is turning, however, thesecontacts will both be in engagement with the strip, and a circuit willbe closed between them. The contact the contact 96 is connected to thewire 90, so that as soon as the drum starts to rotate` the circuit oithe decoherer will be closed with its battery and the decoherer willstart into operation, shaking the coherer and preventing the receptionof the signal. By making the strip 36 a trifle longer than the sendingstrip 37, the non-reception of a message is positively prevented.

.In order that the decoherer ofthe sending station may be set intooperation when a message is being sent manually, the contact 95 isconnected by a wire 100 to the fixed end of a switch blade 101, and theopposite contact 96 is connected by a wire 102 to a contactimmediately-under such `switch blade 101 and normally out of engagementtherewith. The two switch blades are connected by a cross bar 104 formedof non-conducting materia-l and carrying a suitable handle, so that bothor to open position at the same time, so that whenever the switch isdepressed for the purpose of energizing the primary circuit of theRuhmkorfi coil, and sending a message, the decoherer will be placed incircuit with its battery and the coherer of the sending station will beprevented [rom responding to themessage so sent.

On the shaft or' arbor 91 is arranged a worm 100 which engages with aworm wheel 101 `having a'shaft mounted in suitable bearings on the frameand `carrying acontact pin 102 which as'the worm is turned, is broughtinto engagement with a contact strip 103. Connected electrically to theframe and to the worm i 105, and these are connected by a wire 106 to abattery 107, and the contact spring 103. wheel 86 has been turned apredetermined number of times and the'engineer has received acorresponding number of signals, the pin 102 will engage the contact103, and the electro-magnets 105 will be energized.

Adjacent to the electro-magnet is a valve 109' which, in the presentinstance is shown as connected in the train pipe of theair brake system,although it may represent any train controlling-device, such, for iniorclosing the throttle valve or the like. The stem of this valve is in theform of an arbor or shaft 110 on which is secured a gear wheel 111, anda hand wheel 112. The shaft 110 is mounted in bearings. in a suitableframe 115 which, also, 'serves as a support for a shaft 116 carrying apinion 118 in mesh with the gear 111 and a ratchet wheel 119. Secured tothe ratchet 95 is connected by a` wheel is a wire 104 leading to a pairoi electro-magnets may be moved to closed position After the ratchet 'Al stance, as a means for operating the reversing lever `wheel is one endof a coiled spring 120, the opposite end of said spring being securedvto the trarne. 'llhis spring is placed under stress when the hand Wheel112 is turned for the purpose of closing the valve or. othercontrollingdevice 109, and is held under stressby a pawl 121 to releaseposition, whereupon the spring aol will unwind, and willptransmitrotative movement through the gearing connections to the stem 110,

' turning the valve to open position in order tobleed the train'pipc andpermit the application of the brakes in the. usual manner,-or, as beforedescribed, movement may be transmitted to a throttle Valve, revers# ingmechanism, 'or any other train controlling device.

After the brakes have been applied, the engineer may turn the hand wheel112 for the purpose of closing the valve, and at the same time windingup the spring and restoring' the parts to initial position in readiness.

for anotheroperation.

It will be seen that as soon as the trains approach within a dangerlimit, the signals will commence to sound and will be sounded at regularintervals as the vtrains near eachother. After thesounding oi a prethebrakes vrill be apdetermined number of signals, plied or the trainsotherwise brought to a standstill before a collision can occur.

The apparatus may be linstalled atlow cost and all of the parts may beplaced Within-a suitable box or 'casing in order to protect them fromexposure,

I clairm- A 1. l'n a wireless system of electric train controljmean's onthe trains for propagating electric waves at predetermined successiveintervals to constitute a d'angerizone radiating from each train, asignal actuating apparatus on each train sensitive to the propagatedwaves, and meansA carried upon each train for actuating a -traincontrolling device subsequent to a predetermined number of opera! tonsof the signal mechanisn1. v

2. In a wireless system of electric train control, means on each trainfor propagating electric waves to constitute a danger zone, means oneach train and actuated by the movement of the train for setting theelectric wave propaving a train-controlling device Az ictuations of thesignal device.

gating apparatus in action at predetermined intervals, a signalactuating means on each train sensitive to the propagated electricwaves, and means on each train for operat subsequent to a number ot 3.In a wireless system of electric train control, means upon each trainfor propagating electric waves, a traln7 controlling device on eachtrain, and means for setting the same in operation through the action ofthe emanated elec` tric waves after the train has traveled a`predetermined distance within the inuence of said emanated waves, f

electric train control, means for propagating electric waves, atrain-controlling device 4. In a wireless system of en each train, andmeans sensitive to the emanated waves for operating said controllingdevices after the trains-have moved a predetermined distance Within theinfluencent said emuna'ted waves.

5. In a wireless ,system of electric train control, means upon eachtrain for4 propagating electric waves atprede ier-mined regularintervals to constitute a zone of electric emanation traveling' withsaid train, signal operating means upon each train sensitive to theelectric emanations, and train-controlling means upon each train set inoperation by the signal mechanism subsequent to a. predetermined numberof operations of the latterv underthe -infiu7 A ence of the emnnatedwaves.

' 6. In a ,wirelesssystem of train control, an alarm on each engine, atrain actuated circuit closing device f or permitting operation of -thealarm at regular intervals at ter the aproach of the ltrains within adanger limit, an

alarm actuated means for automatically breaking the.

alarm circuit and including,r a pawl and ratchet, a train controllingdevice, an electromagnetically actuated mea'ns controlling itsoperation, said means and haring its terminals undei the controlof thepawl and ratchet mechanism.

' 7. In apparatus of the class described, a pa'wl and and a circuitextending through ratchet mechanism arranged to be set .into operationwhenthe trains approach Within a danger limit, a shaft carrying vtheratchet wheel, n worm on saidI shaft, a' worm wheel interme'shing thel,worm wheel, an air brake valve, ya gear wheel onthe. stem of saidvalve, a hand wheel aiso'carried by .the stem.

and serving "as 'amea'ns -for closing the valve, a shaft, a

tending Ato turn the shaft and"impart opening movement to with thewormycontacts under the control of the'valve, a p awLengaging theratchet wheel, a paw] carry'ing'4 lever, an Aarmature thereon, aneletn'o-'magnet for said armature, anda circuit extendingfrom theelectromagnets to the contacts of lthe worm wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.` 'v

, i JQSEPH L. JoNns. Witnesses:

.T. H. BnIcUT, Jr., B. HBomNo.

